Town Pop. 553

Living in South Zeal: Liveability Score 34/100

Last updated 7 August 2026

Our overall score for South Zeal is 34/100, built from 8 categories. Broadband is where South Zeal most outperforms the national norm: 81/100 against a median of 60/100 across UK towns. Bills falls furthest short: 21/100 where the typical UK town reaches 47/100.

That makes it the 2nd highest-scoring of the 6 places in the EX20 postcode district. On broadband specifically, South Zeal sits 71 points above the EX20 district figure of 10/100. That sits 16 points below the UK-wide average of 50, putting it in the bottom quarter of the towns and villages we score. For the surrounding area, see EX20 postcode district.

34
OUT OF 100
Below Avg
Score for:

Settlement area

The built-up area boundary and the postcodes its score is averaged from, each shaded by its own score. Clustered pins are other settlements. Tap one to view or compare it, or zoom in to reveal more.

Loading map…

Each postcode is coloured by its own overall score on the default weighting. Scores are filled in as postcodes get searched on the site, so a blue dot just means that postcode hasn't been scored yet.

South Zeal scores 34 but individual postcodes tell the full story

See the exact score for any postcode, side by side with South Zeal.
Or compare:
EX20 1AA EX20 2AA EX20 3AA EX20 4AA EX20 9AP EX20

Score breakdown

Safety & Environment

Safety
—
57.9 crimes per 1,000 residents · last 12 months Below the England & Wales average of 94.3
Crime rate vs national average · last 12 months
Violence and sexual offences 19 crimes
≈ similar to national average
Other theft 3 crimes
↓ 13% below national average
Criminal damage and arson 3 crimes
↓ 21% below national average
Drugs 2 crimes
≈ similar to national average
Vehicle crime 2 crimes
↓ 25% below national average
other 3 crimes
Highest-crime locations
Loading map…
  1. 1 Sports/Recreation Area 7 crimes
  2. 2 Park/Open Space 5 crimes
  3. 3 Oak Tree Park 5 crimes

Source: data.police.uk · England & Wales only

Environment
65
Air Quality NO₂ 2.2 · PM2.5 4.8 · PM10 8.3 µg/m³
82
Green Space 85
Parks Some 1
Sports Pitches Some 1
Allotments None
Golf Courses None
Tennis Courts Some 1
Bowling Greens None
Playgrounds Some 1

Services

Schools
15
1 school in area
1Good
  • South Tawton Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2022
    Good
Healthcare
13
A&E departmentsRoyal Devon & Exeter Hospital (Wonford)17.6 mi
Torbay Hospital22.7 mi
Derriford Hospital22.7 mi
Hospital waitsRoyal Devon University Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust1.6 mi
Routine referral (median)12 wks
Treated within 18 weeks62.7%
A&E seen within 4 hrs70.6%
Nearest GP surgeryOkehampton Medical Centre3.7 mi
GP capacity1,343 patients per GP
0dentists0pharmacies

Score reflects proximity to CQC-rated GP surgeries and hospitals, not facility count. Dentists and pharmacies are shown for context but don't affect the score.

Broadband
81
Full fibre (FTTP)60.8%
available across West Devon
Gigabit-capable · incl. cable
94.5%
Ultrafast (300+ Mbps)
94.5%
Superfast (30+ Mbps)
98.8%
Ofcom Connected Nations · 33 postcodes · full fibre at local-authority level

Economy & Bills

Economic Health
70
Employment rate55.2%
Below the Great Britain average of 57.3% of residents aged 16+
Economic activity (16+)
Employed55.2%Unemployed2.2%Retired31.8%Student2.2%Other inactive8.6%
Occupation mix
Professional & managerial40.6%Skilled & technical39.9%Routine & elementary19.6%
Highest qualification (16+)
No qualifications14.6%Level 1 (1–4 GCSEs)9.1%Level 2 (5+ GCSEs)12.9%Level 3 (A levels)14.4%Level 4+ (degree & above)40%Apprenticeship6.2%Other (incl. vocational)2.7%
Home ownership75.6%
Among the most-deprived 38% of areas in England
Census 2021/22 (Great Britain) · deprivation: IoD 2025 / SIMD
Bills
21
Council tax West Devon · 2026-27
A £1,803
B £2,104
C £2,404
D £2,705
E £3,306
F £3,907
G £4,508
H £5,410
Energy South West England region
Typical bill regional £1,641/yr
Ofgem price cap, GB average · Apr–Jun 2026
Typical home efficiency local EPC band E
Water South West Water
Average bill regional £600/yr
Combined water & sewerage · GB average £520

Transport

Transport
4
Okehampton 3.6 mi
Yeoford 9 mi
Copplestone 9.5 mi
J31 M5 17.5 mi
J31 M5 17.9 mi
J30 M5 19.7 mi

Lifestyle

Lifestyle
8
Pubs & Bars Some 2
Restaurants & Cafes None
Supermarkets & Convenience None
Retail Shopping Some 2
Takeaways None
Fitness Some 1

Places like South Zeal Pro

Pick the categories you want to beat. Pro members see the most similar settlements that score higher in all of them.

Find somewhere like South Zeal, but with a higher score in …

ProSimilar settlements is a Pro featureUpgrade to Pro

House Prices

Not enough recent sales

Fewer than 10 sales were recorded in South Zeal in the last 12 months, which isn't enough for a reliable median. Smaller villages often fall below this in any given year. Figures come from HM Land Registry Price Paid data and are updated monthly, so this may fill in later.

Nearby places

Okehampton 43 3.7 mi away ⇄
Chagford 44 4.8 mi away ⇄
North Tawton 34 5.2 mi away ⇄
Bow 42 6.8 mi away ⇄
Cheriton Bishop 35 7.6 mi away ⇄
Zeal Monachorum 32 7.9 mi away ⇄
Moretonhampstead 44 7.9 mi away ⇄
Copplestone 33 9.5 mi away ⇄
Hatherleigh 31 9.6 mi away ⇄
Winkleigh 29 9.6 mi away ⇄
Northlew 23 9.7 mi away ⇄
Tedburn St Mary 35 10 mi away ⇄

Frequently asked questions

Is South Zeal a nice place to live?

South Zeal has some challenges compared to many UK areas. Our liveability score for South Zeal is 34/100, placing it among a below-average areas in the UK across nine categories: safety, schools, healthcare, environment, transport, broadband, lifestyle, economic health, and bills.

What are the best schools in South Zeal?

Among the top-rated schools in South Zeal is South Tawton Primary School, rated Good by Ofsted. There are 1 rated schools in South Zeal in total.

South Zeal in context

See the best places to live in Devon, ranked

Postcode districts in South Zeal

EX20 35 ⇄

Check your exact postcode

Get a personalised score for any UK postcode, tailored to what matters most to you.

Score my postcode